Knitting machine



March 31, 1925;

W. W. BURSON MACHINE KNITTING Filed Sept. 29, 1919 2 Shoots-Shoot 1 Eva/24hr:

ALA W 5/ I Q6 New March 31-, 1925. 1,531,212

W. W. BURSON KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1919 2 Shouts-Shut 2 Patented Mar. 31 1925.

UNITED STATES v 1,531,272 .PATENT- oFFicE.

WILSON W. BURSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO B. Z. B. KNITTING COL, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed September 29, 1919. Serial No. 327,070.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILsoN W. Benson, a citizen ofthe United States, residing in Rockford, in the county of WVinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to knitting machines and while it has more particular reference when in the form shown anddescribed in this specification for the purposes of illustration to machines of the type described in my Patent No.'1,201,691 issued October 17, 1916, it will be readily understood that it is capable of usein knitting machines of other character.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a knitting machine capable of knitting various combinations of stitches to produce a lace -or fancy stitch fabric.

The invention has for a further important object the provision of a machine for knitting both plain and fancy stitch fabrics and so constructed and arranged that fancy stitches may be interspersed with the plain stitches or knit in any desired pattern in the fabric.

A still further important object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character capable of knitting as an incident to its ordinary operation a wide variety of patterns and through the employment of thecontrol mechanism of the type usually employed in the machine when knitting merelya plain stitch fabric.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a new process or method of knitting plain or fancy stitch pattern and this independently of the particular character of machine employed.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description which when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1' is a transverse vertical sectional view through a needle bed and needle actuating parts in which my invention is embodied, the parts being arranged to knit a plain stitch.

Fig. 2 is a partial similar view on a large scale of the needle operating parts showing the same in the arrangement they are given in knitting a fancy stitch.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts arranged to maintain the needle out of action.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view parts of the cam plate being shown in section,

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation thereof,

Figs; 6, 7, S, 9, and 10 are enlarged detailed views of the needle showing the procedure in knitting a fancy stitch.

The machine shown on the drawing accompanying this specification and the ma- (hine disclosed in my earlierpatent. referred to are of the character or type called straight knitting machines, the same having two parallel rows of needles mounted in suitable frames having an opening between them to permit passage of the knitted fabric. In knitting a plain stitch fabric these needles are projected to pick up the yarn or thread forming loops in the needles,

the needles are then retracted forming loops in the yarn or thread and again projected to pick up the next course in the knitting, pulling new loops through the old, the old loops uponthe subsequent projection of the needles permitting the needles to slide through-them to pick up the yarn or thread for the new loops. -Means are provided thereafter to cause the old loops which have slid back upon the needles as the needlesad- Vance to pick up the new loops to be shed down over the new loops when the needles in their retracting movement arriveca't or near the end of 'their stroke. Th-emeans shown for causing the old loop to shed off .over the new in the present instance is a latch provided on each needle which when the needle is advanced is laid back along the shank of the needle so that as the hook end of the needle is pushed out to pick up a new loop the old loop may slide freely back along the needle shank past the latch. When the needle is retracted the latch closes down over the hook and the old loop slides up over the latch which is now closed and is shed off. My present invention contemplates the retaining of a loop upon the needle until two or more loops have accumulated and the shedding off of this plurality of loops at the same time and over a single new loop to knit a fancy stitch. In other words, the old loop is not shed ofi over the cident to each new needle advance.

new at each needle advance or as an in- In the present instance this is accomplished by advancing the needles merely a sufficient distance to pick up the new thread and not a sufficient distance to permit the old loop to slide back into position behind the latch, this of course upon the articular stroke ofthe needle on which it is desired to retain the old loop. At a subsequent stroke the needle is advanced its full throw causing the accumulated loops to drop behind the latch and shed off together when the needle is retracted.

Referring first to Figs. 6 to 10 it will be noted that the needle used for the purposes of illustrating the invention comprises a shank 11 having a needle formin hook 12 at its forward or operating end. arwardly of this hook a latch 13 is pivoted at '14 and is adapted to assume a position extending in a general direction back along the shank or to close down upon the end of the hook as may be seen in Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 6 a single loop 15 is shown in the hook 12 and the needle is retracted. When the needle is advanced the latch 13 is swung back as seen in Fig. 7 and the loop l5,slides back along the latch. If the forward movement= of the needle is complete the needle is pro;

jected a suflicient distance to cause the loop- 15 to drop behind the latch and on the next return stroke to slide up 'on the outside of the latch and off over the hook to knit a plain stitch. If however the needle be projected a less amount the loop 15 merely slides up the latch as indicated in Fig. 7 and when the needle is retracted with the new loop 16, it merely slides back down the latch along side the loop 16 and two loops are thus provided in the hook as is indicated in Fig. 8. If now the needle is projected its full distance, the 'two loops 15 and 16 drop off the end of the latch 13 in the manner shown in Fig. 9. When the needle '5. now is retracted with a new loop- 17 the two loops l5 and 16 are together shed over the end of the needle producing the fancy stitch.

Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate a needle operating mechanism for imparting this variable movement to the needle. Reference char acter 21 indicates a portion of the main frame of the knitting machine and in this main frame is mounted a pair of needle beds 22 in which are mounted needles 23. These needles are slidable between guides 24 and through the action of cams 25 acting through needle-carrying means-in the form of jacks 26. The jacks .26 are brought into operative relation with the cams 25 and removed from operative relation therewith as the pattern knitted may require by jack levers 27, pivoted at 28 and controlled in their action by pattern cams 29.

The cams 25 shown for purposes of illustration upon the drawing are exactly like the cams of my earlier patent mentioned both in construction and operation, being mounted upon cam bars 31.- The jacks and jack levers for the several needles of the two beds shown on the drawing are of duplicated construction and the consideration of a set of them will it is believed be suflicient for an understanding of the machine. Each jack has a head 32 having a slot 33 in which is engaged an upturned end 34 of the needle. (The, jack extends back into av recess or opening 35 in the lever 27 and rests upon a slide block 36 having a pivotal connection at 37 with the under forwardly extending part 38 of the lever. The tail 39 of the jack is freely slidable on the slideblock 36. This slideblock provides a plane surface bearing for the jack in all of its several positions and movements as will be readily understood. A tooth 41 extends down for operation by the pattern cam 42. This pattern cam is a cylinder and has or may have a low part 43 to permit the jack to be moved down out of the way of the cams and in this fashion prevented from knitting. It also has a high part 44 on .fislwill be presently understood this is the position for knitting a plain stitch. The jack has a slot or groove 45 formed between a rear shoulder 46 and a forward shoulder 47 into which the cams enter and through which they pass to project the jack in a plain knitting stroke i. e. to project the needle its full distance so that when it is again retracted a. loop is cast off or shed over the end of the needle. The shoulder 47 is shorter than the-shoulder 46 and an additional shoulder 48 is provided forwardly and above the shoulder 47 thus forming a wider and higher cam groove than that formed by the shoulders 46 and 47. If the jack now is-lifted an intermediate amount or so that the cams operate upon the shoulders 46 and 48, the needle will be advanced 'a'less amount by reason of the fact that the shoulder 48 is located forwardly of the shoulder 47.

This lifting of the jack an intermediate amount is accomplished through the action of the lever 27 when the tooth 41 rides over an operating part 49 on the pattern cam and of less height than the part 44. There are therefore three positions of the lever and three steps on the pattern cam, as follows: low, intermediate, and high. The low holds the needle inoperative, the intermediate holds it in position for a fancy stitch, and the high for a plain stitch. A second tooth '52 is provided upon the lever and back of its pivot to engage parts of the pattern the tooth 41 may ride to'lift the jack Y 13%) position for engagement by the cams.

cam and move the parts controlled by the pattern cam positively in each lowering operation. This arrz'tngement in this machine from high to low position is that described in my earlier mentioned patent. To move the lever and jack from intermediate to low position the same means are employed and to move them from high to intermediate position a tooth 51 is provided on the pattern cam and for engagement with the tootlt on the end of the lever extending behind or back of the pivot 28.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the jack in plain knitting, Fig. 2 the position of the cam in knitting a fancy stitch, and Fig. 3 the position when the needle is not to knit at all. It perhaps should be mentioned that the upper 't'orward part 53 of the lever serves to retract the jack and cause it to accurately follow the movement of the lever to an inoperative position and in a measure to contorm to a position of the lever in arrangement for fancy stitch knittin It is thought that the invention will be understood from the foregoing description when considered in connection with my earlier patent although it will be manii'est that the invention has a much broader application being capable of various embodiments and readily adaptable to other types of machines, it being specifically asserted that all such embodiments and uses of the invention as may come within the terms of the claims are believed to be within the spirit and contemplation of the invention.

I claim:

1., in a knitting machine, the combination with a single operating cam of a needle having a knitting movement picking up a new loop and shedding off an old loop thereover and a knitting movem ent of ditferent extent accumulating loops for subsequent shedding oil and means eontrollimg and selecting said knitting movements.

In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle, :1 jack having forward and rear shoulders providing between them grooves of ditlerent depth and width, and means moving through said grooves for moving the jack to impart knitting strokes to the needle, and means for selecting the particular groove to determine the knitting movement of the needle.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle, a jack for moving said needle, and having a plurality of sets of cam engaging shoulders, a jack operating cam, and means arranging the jack in diiierent positions to cause said cam tov engage different .sets of shoulders and impart to the jack knitting movement in amount determined by the particular set of shoulders engaged.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination .lever to cause the cam to impart motion to the jack in accordance with the particular resulting engagement.

In a knitting machine, the combination of a. needle, a jack, a jack operating cam' adapted for a plurality of engagements with said jack, a lever for arranging the jack in desired relation with said cam, and pattern means for controlling the action of said lever, said pattern means having a high portion for etl'ecting an engagement between the jack and cam to impart to the needle a full knitting stroke in plain knitting and a lower portion tor eil ecting an engagement between the jack and cam resulting in a shorter stroke in fancy stitch knitting.

(3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a jack adapted to assume a plurality of positions. means for reciprocating the jack, means controlling the position of said jack, and a bearing member secured to and movable with said controlling means and being self-adjustable to provide a flat bearing surface for the jack in its several positions.

7. .In a' knitting machine, the combination of an operating cam, a jack adapted to assume three positions with respect to said operating cam, one of said positions removing it from the operating Zone of said cam, another arranging it to be given a full stroke by the operating cam, and the third arranging it for a lesser stroke.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle, a cylindricalpattern cam having three operative steps, and means cooperating therewith for determiningthe action of the needle, said means when in engagement with one step rendering the needle inoperative, when in engagement with another step rendering the needle operative for a full stroke, and when in engagement with the third step rendering the needle operative for a shorter stroke.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle, a cylindrical pattern cam having three operative steps, and means cooperating therewith for determining the action of the need'lc, said means when in engagement with one step rendering the needle inoperative, when in engagement with another step rendering the needle operative tor a full stroke, and when in engagement with the third step rendering the needle operative for a shorter stroke, the conneetit'm. between said means and said pattern cam being positive in each position. 

